According to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, using duodenoscopes with disposable elevator caps during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) led to lower rates of contamination following high-level disinfection, compared to standard scope designs. The disposable caps did not alter the performance and safety of the procedure, the randomized ICECAP trial showed.
The study, “Effect of Disposable Elevator Cap Duodenoscopes on Persistent Microbial Contamination and Technical Performance of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography,” answered the following question: “In patients undergoing ERCP, do duodenoscopes with disposable elevator caps (1) reduce contamination rates after high-level disinfection and/or (2) maintain technical performance of the procedure compared with duodenoscopes with standard designs?”
The study included 518 patients undergoing ERCP of various procedural complexity, duodenoscopes with disposable caps reduced persistent microbial contamination (relative risk, 0.34), with no differences in performance (technical success, 94.6% vs 90.7%) and safety outcomes.
The trial was conducted at two tertiary ERCP centers in Canada. All patients 18 years and older undergoing ERCP for any indication were eligible.
Researchers found that disposable elevator cap duodenoscopes exhibited reduced contamination following high-level disinfection compared with standard scope designs, without affecting technical performance and safety of ERCP.
